Details
The play must be a ten-minute play. The theme of "Outcast" must be an integral part of the play.

Outcast (definition): a person who has been rejected by society or a social group or cast out

The story can be a comedy, a drama, a parody, absurd or anything in between (in English only). We also accept musicals. Please note: if you are sending a musical please include an audio recording of the music. The contest is open to anyone, in any part of the world, without geographic or age restrictions.

How to submit
You must submit online (scroll to the bottom of the page) by November 20, 2018, 11:59 pm E.S.T. There are no fees. Once you submit you will be taken to a page confirming that we have received your submission. You may only submit one play.

The cover page should have the title of the play, the playwright's name and the list of characters. The pages should be numbered. The format should be easy to read. Please name your attachment with the title of your play. We accept previously produced plays (but not plays that have produced at inspiraTO before). The playwright must own the rights to the play up to June 9, 2019 (i.e. the script cannot be owned by a publisher).

Scroll to the bottom of the page and fill in the form. Once you fill in the form, attach your play and hit SUBMIT. You will be notified that your play has been received.

We are particularly interested in scripts that aren't afraid to make bold choices: quality writing backed by imaginative staging.

What will happen
The plays will be selected by a committee from the Toronto theatre community. If selected, your play will be performed in Toronto, Canada from May 30 - June 8, 2019. Between fifteen to twenty four, ten-minute plays will be selected and performed. 1st Prize: $500 CDN. Should your play be selected for inclusion in the festival, you are giving the non-exclusive right to Theatre inspiraTO to produce and perform the play in the 14th Annual inspiraTO Festival in Toronto (Canada's largest ten-minute play festival), in May and June 2019. The inspiraTO Festival will find the cast, crew and market your play. Authors retain copyright and full ownership of their plays.

Only those playwrights whose plays have been selected will be notified by January 1, 2019.

What does a good ten-minute play need?
A ten-minute play is distinct from a sketch, or a skit; it is a compact play, with a beginning, middle and an end. You need a character facing obstacles in pursuit of some specific goal. You need rising action, conflict, and a climactic moment and your play must tell a complete story.

Generally speaking, scripts (including the stage directions, character names and dialogue) that are over 1,900 words are more than ten minutes long on stage. This does not mean that all plays under 1,900 words are under ten minutes, so be wise: use Word Count and read the play out loud while timing the length (including all pauses). You don't want your hard work rejected because it was too long.